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Improving transparency in Ph.D. career outcomes

Graduate training in the biomedical sciences prepares young scientists for a variety of careers, and Ph.D. graduates have secured and excelled in jobs in academia, government, and the private sector for decades. While tracking a Ph.D.’s path from graduate school to a faculty position is relatively straightforward, following Ph.D.s once they leave the academy can be difficult due to a lack of obvious tracking mechanisms. Instituting such a tracking mechanism would be beneficial for undergraduate students considering enrolling in graduate school, current graduate students exploring their career options, and departments looking to better evaluate and tailor their training programs.

In August 2017, Rescuing Biomedical Research convened a meeting of representatives of the AAU, the AAMC, the NIH BEST consortium and other universities and organizations to develop a common set of methods for data collection on Ph.D. alumni and creation of a common career outcomes taxonomy.

The materials needed to get your university started collecting and presenting data on your biomedical Ph.D. alumni:

(1) The training model thus far is that of the medieval apprentice- a trainee is to become a clone of his/her supervisor. (2) Trainees are rarely permitted to conduct work not expressly assigned/approved by supervisor. (3) Training goals for postdocs at a national level are unspecified. (4) All postdocs are trained as if they will become academic research professors.